Taliban’s New Law Allows Husbands To Punish Wives, Sparks Worldwide Outcry
The Taliban’s new penal code in Afghanistan has sparked global outrage for putting women and children at risk. Reports say the 90-page law allows husbands to physically punish their wives and children, as long as it does not cause serious visible injuries. Cases that lead to severe harm, like broken bones, carry a maximum prison sentence of only 15 days. Legal action can reportedly proceed only if the wife can prove abuse in court. The law also reportedly allows authorities to jail married women for up to three months if they visit relatives without their husband’s permission. Human rights groups say the law treats women as property and removes protections that existed under the 2009 Elimination of Violence Against Women (EVAW) law. Exiled Afghan rights group Rawadari, which claims to have obtained the document, warned that the law could make abuse legal and leave women and children more vulnerable. The group called on the United Nations and the international community to act quickly to stop the law from being enforced.
